Château le Gay
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Château Le Gay in Pomerol is a family-owned winegrowing estate belonging to Vignobles Parent. It produces wines under the Pomerol appellation from clay-limestone gravel soils, with grape varieties dominated by Merlot. The estate is HVE-certified.
Identity
Château Le Gay is an estate located in Pomerol, managed by Henri Parent. It is part of Vignobles Parent.
History and Philosophy
The history of Château Le Gay dates back to the 18th century, when it was known as Manoir de Gay. In 1946, the sisters Thérèse and Marie Robin were the owners, while Établissements Moueix managed wine production and commercialisation. In 1994, some of the finest plots were acquired by the Moueix property. In 2000, the estate was sold. In 2002, Catherine Péré-Vergé took over Château Le Gay, and new plantings were carried out, covering a total of 4 hectares. New cellars were built in 2003. In 2013, Henri Parent took over the management of the estate, and the cellars underwent further renovation in 2014. The estate is HVE-certified.
The Appellations
Château Le Gay produces wines under the Pomerol appellation.
Signature Wines
The estate produces Château Le Gay, its grand vin, and Le Manoir de Gay, its second wine. Another cuvée is Château La Gravière in Lalande-de-Pomerol.
Practical Information
Visits are available by appointment. The estate offers cellar-door sales and mail orders.
- Address: SCEA Péré-Vergé, 33500 Pomerol, France
- Telephone: +33 6 60 64 04 01 or +33 (0)3 20 64 20 56
- Email: communication@vignoblesparent.com or communication@montviel.com
Find Out More
Frequently asked questions
- What is the history of Château Le Gay and who manages it today?
- Château Le Gay, formerly known as Manoir de Gay, boasts a history dating back to the 18th century. Following several changes of ownership and management over the decades, Catherine Péré-Vergé took over the estate in 2002. Since 2013, Henri Parent has been at the helm. The estate is also part of Vignobles Parent, and its cellars were renovated in 2014, following earlier works in 2003.
- What are the characteristics of the Château Le Gay vineyard?
- The vineyard of Château Le Gay covers 10.5 hectares on the Pomerol plateau. The terroir is composed of clay-limestone gravel. The plantings are dominated by 90% Merlot, complemented by 10% Cabernet Franc. The average vine age is over 50 years, and 80% of the land has been restructured to a planting density of 9,000 vines per hectare. The grapes are harvested entirely by hand.
- How are the wines of Château Le Gay crafted?
- Vinification at Château Le Gay relies on gravity-fed methods for grape handling. A cold pre-fermentation maceration is applied to both the first and second wines to gently extract fruit and tannins. The grand vin undergoes integral vinification in oak barrels, followed by 18 months of ageing in 100% new oak barrels. The second wine is vinified traditionally in temperature-controlled concrete vats.
- Which wines are produced by Château Le Gay and under which appellations?
- Château Le Gay produces its grand vin under the Pomerol appellation. It also crafts a second wine, Le Manoir de Gay. In addition to these Pomerol cuvées, the estate produces Château La Gravière, released under the Lalande-de-Pomerol appellation. The estate is HVE-certified for its environmental practices.
The Vineyard (Terroir)
The vineyard of Château Le Gay spans 10.5 hectares. Situated on the Pomerol plateau, its terroir consists of clay-limestone gravel. The average vine age exceeds 50 years. The grape varieties consist of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. 80% of the vineyard has been restructured with a planting density of 9,000 vines per hectare. Harvesting is carried out by hand.
Vinification and Ageing
The grapes are handled with great care, using gravity-flow methods to avoid pumping. A cold pre-fermentation maceration is used for both the first and second wines to extract tannins and fruit. The grand vin undergoes integral vinification directly in oak barrels. Ageing lasts 18 months in 100% new oak barrels. The second wine is vinified traditionally in temperature-controlled concrete vats.
- Appellation
- Pomerol
- Commune
- Pomerol
- Wine region
- Libournais
- Classification
- Pomerol (sans classement officiel)
- Owner
- Famille Parent
- Technical direction
- Florian Pesquier
- Surface area
- 10.5 ha
- Second wine
- Manoir de Gay
- Certifications
- HVE
- Grape varieties
- Merlot 90%, Cabernet Franc 10%
Practical information
- Address
- SCEA Péré-Vergé, 33500 Pomerol
- Phone
- +33 6 60 64 04 01
- Contact form
- Contact the estate
- Visits
- Oui sur rendez-vous